Savannah-Chatham police: 3-year-old boy shot while riding in car

A 3-year-old boy was in serious but stable condition Friday night after being struck by gunfire in an eastside Savannah neighborhood, according to Savannah-Chatham police.

About 6 p.m., the unidentified child was brought to Memorial University Medical Center in a red Ford Focus. He was rushed from the emergency room into surgery and was in stable condition as of late Friday night, according to Gena Moore, metro police spokeswoman.

Investigators remained tight-lipped on details of the shooting, but said the incident occurred near the intersection of LaRoche and Neva avenues.

By about 7 p.m. Friday, the Ford that brought the boy to Memorial was still parked in front of the hospital's emergency room with metro police photographing its front and back seats, and also its trunk. Investigators said they believe the boy was seated in the vehicle when the shooting occurred.

Memorial officials declined to comment on the scene in front of the trauma center's emergency entrance, only saying it was a criminal investigation. However, the ambulance bays did not appear to be obstructed.

As of July 17, data provided by metro police show there have been 62 aggravated assaults involving guns in the area this year, 37 fewer than the same time period in 2009.